Crate training Questions

Discussion in 'Shih Tzu' started by Jane McDougall, Apr 12, 2019.

  1. Jane McDougall

    Jane McDougall New Member

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    Jane

    Crate training

    hi everyone

    We have had our puppy George for 10 days now and he is almost 10 weeks old. He is a great little character but we are struggling to settle him in his crate. We need to be able to crate him when he is occasionally left for a few hours (we are retired so home most of the time) and at night.

    He is happy to wander in and out, he is fed in there and we use Kongs, treats, praise etc and he is okay if we close the door for about 10 minutes max, then he makes more noise than I thought was possible from such a little soul! Barking, screaming, he sounds like he is being murdered. We had a professional trainer visit and have been following their advice but I have a horrible feeling he is never going to be comfortable being ‘locked’ in there. We can’t let him cry it out because of neighbours. He also hates being confined at all.

    At the moment I am sleeping downstairs on the sofa with him on the floor beside me as it is totally impossible to move the crate upstairs. He cries to come up with me often in the night but I am ignoring him and he eventually settles. I’ve tried a box, a bed, a playpen in our room but he still hollers.

    Does anyone have any Shih Tzu specific advise please or am I destined never to sleep in my bed again!?

    Thanks in advance for any help!
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  3. Chris B

    Chris B Member

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  4. Malka

    Malka Member

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    Hello Jane and George, welcome to Breedia from Tikva and me :039:

    Tikki is not a Shih Tzu she is a Hetzi Doxie - half Dachshund and half Minpin, and has been with me since she was a far too young three-weeks-old.Bed was a nightmare so is was crate but as I had to bottle feed her every few hours we coped.

    She is coming up to four-years now and still sleeps in her crate. She loves it. But I have never fed her in her crate. It is in my bedroom and it is for sleeping only. I had never used a crate before, my previous wubbles slept on my bed, but she was far too small.

    I do not know what to suggest, except patience. And for what it is worth, Tikki stayed with a Shih Tzu a few times when I was recently in hospital and even though she did not know him and her crate was taken there, the little booger preferred to sleep cuddled up with him on his bed!

    George will learn but I would not feed him in his crate. Crates are for sleeping in.

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